Volunteers Rescue 450+ Pet Rats From Condemned NY Home
When hundreds of domestic rats were discovered in a condemned Long Island house, a rescue team chose compassion over extermination. Now 250 have found loving homes, proving even the most misunderstood animals deserve a second chance.
A call from the Suffolk County district attorney's office stopped even veteran rescuer Frankie Floridia in his tracks. Inside a condemned house in Rocky Point, New York, hundreds of domestic rats needed saving.
Floridia, president of Strong Island Animal Rescue League, had two choices: call an exterminator or attempt an ambitious rescue mission. "The humane thing to do is save these little animals that are happy and want to live," he said.
His team chose rescue. They named it "Project Ratatouille."
Over several weeks, about 10 dedicated volunteers trapped more than 450 domestic rats from the home, located 72 miles from Manhattan. These weren't wild rats but fancy rats, bred as pets with colorful coats and gentle temperaments.
"They're in the walls, they're in the cabinets, they're in the drawers, they're in the couch," Floridia said. "They were basically everywhere."
The rescue team caught the rodents by hand and with nets, carefully separating males and females to prevent further breeding. Female rats can produce up to 18 babies every three weeks, which explains how the situation spiraled quickly.
Injured rats received medical treatment at a local animal hospital. Healthy ones went straight to foster homes to await adoption.
Sunny's Take
The response from the community has been overwhelming. Hundreds of people have offered to foster, adopt, or transport rats to homes across state lines.
"The rat rescue community is by far the kindest," said Erica Kutzing, vice president of Strong Island Animal Rescue League. She believes people connect with rats because they're underdogs, much like anyone who's ever felt like an outcast.
About 250 rats have already found permanent homes or foster families. Fewer than 10 needed to be euthanized due to severe health issues.
The challenge now is placing the remaining 200 rats. Many people don't realize rats are intelligent, clean animals that make affectionate pets. They must be adopted in pairs because they're highly social creatures who need companionship from their own kind.
Floridia compares them to hamsters or gerbils. "They're cuddly," he said.
Facebook updates about the rescue have drawn thousands of supportive comments. "They are beautiful!! Thank you for saving them!!" one person wrote. "Can't wait to pick mine up tomorrow," another added.
The volunteers aren't stopping until every rat finds a home.
Based on reporting by Google: rescue saves
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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